Computational Analysis of the Effects of Power on the Electromagnetic Characteristics of Microwave Systems with Plasma

Kamal Hadidi, Camille E. Williams and Vadim V. Yakovlev ()
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Kamal Hadidi: Isklen, LLC., Sudbury, MA 01776, USA
Camille E. Williams: Center for Industrial Mathematics and Statistics, Department of Mathematical Sciences, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA 01609, USA
Vadim V. Yakovlev: Center for Industrial Mathematics and Statistics, Department of Mathematical Sciences, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA 01609, USA

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 19, 1-14

Abstract: The scaling of microwave plasma technologies from successful laboratory demonstrations to larger industrial applications usually involves an increase in microwave power. This upgrade is accompanied by a higher electron density (and electric conductivity) of the plasma that often limits the power efficiency of the device. In this paper, we address this issue through a focused computational study of electromagnetic characteristics of a microwave system containing plasma. Our approach employs finite-different time-domain analysis supported by a simple model which characterizes the plasma medium using plasma frequency and the frequency of electron-neutral collisions. Based on experimental data for electron density with respect to power, the plasma frequency is generated as a linear function of power, thus enabling a direct understanding of how frequency characteristics of the reflection coefficient and patterns of the electric field may vary for different power levels in a variety of plasma scenarios. For a cavity modeled after conventional plasma applicators, computational results illustrate complex behavior of the field with respect to power. When the power is increased, energy efficiency may decrease, remain low, or increase depending on where the operating frequency stands with respect to the system’s resonances. The proposed modeling approach identifies the system parameters which are most impactful in tuning the system to resonance, thus informing the design variables for subsequent computer-aided design of the scaled system.

Keywords: electromagnetic modeling; electron density; microwave plasma applicators; microwave power; resonant frequency (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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